The Target and potential for Tim Hortons are good examples of the Harper government’s commitment (via immediate Ministerial discretionary powers) in proving the Canadian entrepreneurial class is not useful only as cannon fodder.

One ounce cost Rich Piotrowski and Ellen Blickman their Quiznos franchise and more than $200,000 in legal fees during a two-year battle with the sandwich company.

One ounce — the amount of meat a “mystery shopper” determined was lacking in a sandwich bought at the couple’s restaurant in 2006 — is also what led a judge to order Quiznos to pay the couple $350,000 and to pay their attorney’s fees.

In a statement, Quiznos said it didn’t agree with the judge’s Dec. 31 decision. It hasn’t announced whether it would appeal.

It’s a good article and I’d like to focus on one element:

Piotrowksi said he left repeated messages for Daigle, and at one point, threatened to call a press conference because he was angry he hadn’t received any return calls. That’s when, the couple says, the argument turned nasty. A few days later, Quiznos sued them for damages.

I talked to a friend in the U.S. yesterday and he wondered: Would the threat of exposing wrongdoing in the media help his friend get his money back?

In a word: No.

I wish Rich and Ellen all the best but fighting a trench war (WWI) against an infinitely better armed opponent, is why franchisees are often called cannon fodder: expendable military personnel.

Technology is defined broadly as any methods that extends mans’ abilities: physical, mental, social, information, etc. In WWII, faster logistics, Lend Lease, panzers, V2, Little Boy, teletype, encryption, air force, coordination, communications, radar were all technologies that helpedbreak the backof tyranny. It can do the same for franchisees who are willing to trust once again.

Don’t retreat in fear to the past, to the gore and futilityof Passchendaele (civil law).

Look to the skies.

In franchise tactical defense, you never threaten: You just do. Threatening is for sissies and those who think that being reasonable will elicit a reasonable response. In the history of warfare, it won’t and never has. Technology, however, can lead to

Blitzkrieg (or lightning war) the system via the internet. Reverse the electrical and power polarity. Create a cluster of Web 2.0 community members using email invites and links to existing and new weblogs. Go DC to AC, and then back. Be the next citizen journalist: already 10 million losers typing in their home offices, anyway; where’s the crime in 1 more?

The money’s gone anyway.

Regain your freedom, dignity and self-respect.

I get paid (sometimes) for thinking this stuff up. And it works:

Big time.

A prediction: Quiznos will spend their last dollar suing anyone and everyone before even considering paying anyone a remedy. Their corporate dissolution papers just need to be dated.